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| A view of the bridge to Navarre Beach from a park. |
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| Gulf shores waters = happy place |
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Artist working on a sand project
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| Sunset at Navarre Beach |
A place on Earth
This could be a Carpe Diem place
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
I found a hidden gem of a beach along the Gulf Shores
Needing a little sunshine, and spring break time, I was ready for beach time. And so began a long road trip to sunny Florida. But it was so worth the trip as you can see by the photos shared below. Navarre Beach, what a beautiful place to visit for white sand beach time. So glad I found this hidden gem among the Gulf Shores. If you want to check it out, here is a link: Navarre Beach.
Yes, I was on the NCL Epic that week in February
On board the NCL Epic with engine failure
As a frequent cruiser with NCL, I enjoy the opportunity to sail on different ships. And the Epic was on my list to experience the once largest of the NCL fleet. With a guest capacity of 4100 built in 2010, I wonder why I waited so long. But I ended up with a longer than anticipated cruise, as it turned out. However, not all was lost - sunshine and open sea saved the day(s).
What started out as a great experience with two bright and sunny days at sea came to an abrupt change on day two. While cruising on day two, the ship came to a complete stop for around 5 hours. Everyone on board were in good spirits with the whole experience. The captain announced our emergency stop at San Juan for engine repairs overnight, and that our ports of call were cancelled. Even though disheartened, we made the best of the situation. It was a long journey at half-speed or less from our point at sea to the port of San Juan. Docking at the port provided another obstacle as the Epic crashed into the port. Reported on national media sites, here is a link to view the damage
article/video-norwegian-epic-strikes-pier-at-port-of-san-juan.
As it turned out, Puerto Rico was a great alternative port of call. Even though still recovering from hurricane damage, a visit to the forts were within walking distance of the port.
A great link for information on the forts of Puerto Rico: https://www.nps.gov/saju/index.htm
As a frequent cruiser with NCL, I enjoy the opportunity to sail on different ships. And the Epic was on my list to experience the once largest of the NCL fleet. With a guest capacity of 4100 built in 2010, I wonder why I waited so long. But I ended up with a longer than anticipated cruise, as it turned out. However, not all was lost - sunshine and open sea saved the day(s).
What started out as a great experience with two bright and sunny days at sea came to an abrupt change on day two. While cruising on day two, the ship came to a complete stop for around 5 hours. Everyone on board were in good spirits with the whole experience. The captain announced our emergency stop at San Juan for engine repairs overnight, and that our ports of call were cancelled. Even though disheartened, we made the best of the situation. It was a long journey at half-speed or less from our point at sea to the port of San Juan. Docking at the port provided another obstacle as the Epic crashed into the port. Reported on national media sites, here is a link to view the damage
article/video-norwegian-epic-strikes-pier-at-port-of-san-juan.
As it turned out, Puerto Rico was a great alternative port of call. Even though still recovering from hurricane damage, a visit to the forts were within walking distance of the port.
A great link for information on the forts of Puerto Rico: https://www.nps.gov/saju/index.htm
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| NCL Epic Mini Suite 9252 |
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| NCL Epic Mini Suite 9252 |
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| The fort coming in to San Juan Bay |
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| A view of San Juan Bay |
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| A rainbow as we enter the port. |
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| A view of the port |
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| A cliff side view with fort in distance |
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| A beautiful shore |
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| A view from the fort |
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| A window view from the fort |
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| Viewing cruise ships in port |
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| Cantina time |
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| Sailing back - a night view of San Juan |
There is a little magic at Cocoa Beach
If you have a need for a sunrise that warms your soul, you may find that at Cocoa Beach as I did. Okay, so Florida does provide the sunshine to warm your soul, but the "magic" comes from your presence at a place and time. And you feel the "magic" once you are there. Just revisiting through these photo memories can warm the soul. Is there anything as relaxing as a sunrise or sunset image? You can almost feel the warmth through the photos.
Cocoa Beach, a magical place for me, and one I hope to see again soon.
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Sunrise at Cocoa Beach
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